A Year of the Cat

This Cat is Ready To Travel!

2011-09-15T04:11:00.000-07:00

....as long as nobody tries to take her bed away.

July and August, Random Cat Photos

2011-08-16T03:38:00.000-07:00

This pile of cushions is not enough! I can still feel the pea!

Must. Be. Cleaner.

Admire my beautiful clean paw.

....CATNIP. Catnip and scratchy toy!

Stop. Oi. Hey. Look at me. Up here! STOP LOOKING AT THE PUZZLE.
Right, that's it.

Mwahaha. I shall now wriggle and scatter these pieces everywhere!

...you. Fetch me another cushion.

Basic Tips for Caring For A Cat With Arthritis

2011-08-16T03:28:00.000-07:00

If your cat is getting old (or even if it isn't), then sooner or later you may notice that it starts limping, has trouble climbing steps, avoids jumping down from anywhere, and gets upset if picked up or handled roughly. Possibly upset in a 'suddenly turn around and take a couple of fingers off' way.

Arthritis gets a LOT worse in the cold. My cat Moss started limping in winter, every winter, from around six or seven years old (she is now over thirteen). It got gradually worse, and finally was making her very unhappy - and very difficult to brush, because her joints were so painful. And then summer rolled around, and suddenly she was tearing all over the house and playing happily again.

The cat asleep next to the oil heater.
She makes a great footwarmer.

1. Warmth. Arthritis gets a lot worse in the cold. Give your cat somewhere warm to spend most of the time. I posted about the cat bed I was given before, which was great. Sadly, it was ancient and has since died, but it's now cold enough to light the fire and run heaters around the house, so she spends a lot of time trying to merge with those.

2. Glucosamine tablets can be fed daily in food (it's also used to treat arthritis in humans). It can be a bit pricey though - and it's a long way to a pet store from where I live, so - while I do see improvements - tip 3 takes up the slack.

3. Fish oils. The omega 3 fatty acids in cold water fish (e.g. salmon and tuna) help with arthritis. I share a can of tuna with her once or twice a week (we get half each - works out well, as I'm only cooking for myself!), and I saw a huge improvement once I started doing this.

You can't cure arthritis in your cat, but you can make the symptoms go away. This last winter I've been treating her with the tips above - and nothing else, and she's been happy and bouncy all through (occasional limping moments and she hates going out into the cold, but otherwise very well off).

13th May ; I Love Boxes

2011-05-12T05:32:00.000-07:00

Especially boxes full of puzzle pieces. That my owner keeps trying to steal. Then we get to play a game!

12th May: Bliss

2011-05-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

The couches were less than optimally furry. I am putting in some hard hours correcting that.

10th May; Studying Haaaaaaaard

2011-05-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

So very hard.

May 9th; Wise Kitty Cogitates

2011-05-08T05:23:00.000-07:00

8th May: All the best beds are made from jigsaw pieces

2011-05-07T05:09:00.000-07:00

Whenever I see my owner sitting at a table doing a puzzle, I purr loudly, then jump up and headbutt them in the face. I then flop over and wriggle until the pieces have been broken up into the most comfortable position. And then I get up and drink my owner's tea from the cup they left out for me.

7th May; Napping Amid Clutter

2011-05-06T05:03:00.000-07:00

The best place to sleep is on papers, next to a rug, under a pile of books. With an owner within three metres (otherwise I have to get up and follow them).

May 6th; This Phone Call is SO Boring

2011-05-05T05:03:00.000-07:00

Phonecalls are so tiring, and yet so cuddly. And any minute now, the cord will move and I will kill it.

The Flying Cat Blog: The Top Five Things A Cat Owner Should Have

2011-04-18T02:37:00.000-07:00

The Flying Cat Blog: The Top Five Things A Cat Owner Should Have: "Partly through semi-expensive trial and error, partly through the forbearance of my ex-pet shop worker flatmate, I've collected a variety of..."

Snuggly Warm

2011-04-18T01:49:00.000-07:00

I can't be bothered co-operating with interesting photos right now. I have a warm place to sleep, at last, and I'm melting all the nasty cold weather out of my bones.

I may never leave this spot again, and I think I shall require my owner to bring me my food on a tray.

Moss has a new place to sleep - an old cat bed heating mat from a friend. As she suffers rather badly from arthritis in the cold, and... well, is a cat, I predict that she won't leave it for the rest of winter. It certainly has suddenly become her favourite place to sleep - she hasn't left it since I introduced her to it earlier this afternoon!

It also serves double duty as a footwarmer for me, if I put it under the desk! (With the cat on top, of course). I should put something on top of it, but it'll have to withstand cat fur. Currently it's tough plastic, with a network of wires through it - but doesn't get too hot to touch.

I think I'll look into buying her a heated cat bed - she normally refuses to sleep in anything I actually buy for her for longer than two weeks, abandoning it forever after that. This is a problem, because I really don't need an extra coating of fur on my pillow.

21st March, Many Photos...

2011-03-22T03:06:00.000-07:00

My terrible owner has been neglecting my adoring fans - all this time they were taking photos of me, but neglecting to upload them. When I discovered this, I forced them to rectify this tragic situation immediately by purring loudly and smearing loose fur on their pillow.

Here I am, preparing to sneak up the bed and launch an attack on the pillow... as soon as my owner looks away, of course.

Here I am carrying out one of my regular carpet quality checks - I make sure to lie down in every part of the house to check comfort levels!

I have beautiful whiskers. I also enjoy a nice cup of tea - especially right before my owner goes to take a sip, and finds my head in the way. This cup is now empty - I like this one, because I can get my head all the way to the bottom.

Here I was fiendishly attacked by the brush! I tried to resist by rubbing my loose fur against my owner's clothes, but succumbed eventually, purring and flopping to the ground...

Defeated. But at least I am safe, surrounded by my favourite toys - the brush, the scratchy headrest with moving ball and fluff on a stick, and the owner.

Mar 8th, Office Kitty Has Finished With Paperwork

2011-03-07T01:19:00.000-08:00

I helped my owner with the paperwork, ate a lot of crisps off the floor, purred, and then after this exhausting workday, took a quick two hour power nap on the chair.

March 6th, Creepy Backlighting

2011-03-06T05:11:00.000-08:00

Alll who live in this house do so with my permission. Owner! Get down here and feed me - or see your ehternet cable mysteriously shredded...

March 5th, Snuggly Rug Love

2011-03-04T05:04:00.000-08:00

My love for the soft fluffy rug knows no bounds. Oh happy days.

4th Mar - Sleep Attack

2011-03-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today I hid from the rain and slept a lot. I have rediscovered the fluffy rug and this makes me happy.

3rd March, Artist Cat Guards Easel

2011-03-03T03:29:00.000-08:00

I like my owner's easel. It keeps them in one place so I can snuggle them.

2nd March, Ready To Write!

2011-03-01T23:51:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm back! Standards have been very slack on this blog and in this flat! I've finished sleeping on every surface and have knocked over everything my owner piled onto various walkways in my absence (the table, the chest of drawers - that kind of thing), and been fed. And now I'm all ready to start writing... or at least to hold some pens!

OOC: Return of the Cat

2011-03-01T22:05:00.000-08:00

My cat is back with me, and will be making an appearance again on this blog. She is fit and healthy and happy, and (I suspect) has been thoroughly spoilt by my parents.

What was wrong? I don't know, but it could have been some kind of poison she ingested recently, or poison eaten long ago, then stored in the fat cells - to re-emerge when she lost too much weight (she's fatter now!)
More worryingly, it could be some long term illness or degradation. I may never know what the problem was, but for now she seems very well.

And still determined to knock off everything on every surface of my room, before settling down at night.

19th Feb. No Photos Today

2011-02-19T02:19:00.000-08:00

Or possibly for the next few days, or longer. I had to rush my cat to the vets (well, the emergency after hours clinic) this afternoon. I walked into the flat about 5, put the shopping down, and fed her, and then she was shaking and falling over, and her legs were spasming. She was very much an unhappy cat.

It's neurological, but it could be anything from rat poison to kidney failure to a brain tumour. And the tests to start with (not including specialist brain imaging which it might come to) would be over $1000. So for now, I'm hoping not.

Anyway, kitty is recuperating at my parent's house for now. We'll see if she's okay in the morning.

18th Feb, Paperwork Is For Sleeping On

2011-02-18T01:13:00.000-08:00

I like to walk up behind my owner and flop all over their paperwork, and snuggle it into a nest and push it onto the floor.

This makes me sleep better.

17th Feb, No More Photos Please!

2011-02-17T01:11:00.000-08:00

Today, my cruel and evil owner put flea stuff on me. So I spent the next fifteen minutes dashing under the bed and jumping into boxes to hide.

At last, I gave up and collapsed, only to be picked up and waved at the little talking video man on the laptop screen who tried to attract my attention. I was not impressed, and collapsed on the desk, and tried to block out the world...

16th Feb, Filing

2011-02-16T18:07:00.000-08:00

I occasionally check my owner's filing system, to make sure they've still got enough money to feed me. In the process, I always take the long way around the room and knock over as much as possible.

15th Feb, A Nice Cup of Tea

2011-02-14T15:43:00.000-08:00

My owner kindly lays on lukewarm cups of tea for when I suddenly decide to come sit on the desk next to them. I still haven't persuaded them to let me lie on the computer while they work, so instead I drown my sorrows in cold caffeine.

14th Feb, I Love Environmentalism

2011-02-14T01:54:00.000-08:00

If my owner didn't save all the shopping bags to recycle, I wouldn't have a comfy place to sleep!

13th Feb, Cosy Sleeping Place

2011-02-13T03:09:00.000-08:00

After a hard day lying in the sun and repeatedly waking my owner up to be fed, I went and found my cosy spot in the bushes. I took great delight in not moving when called, and purring loudly, so my owner had to track me down in the dark.

12th Feb, I Have A Zazzle Mouse

2011-02-11T22:58:00.000-08:00

My owner finally returned, to feed me and stroke me and carry me around. And they gave me a mouse to play with - see?

Long Tailed Field Mouse by Flynn_the_Cat
Create your own promotional keychain on zazzle

Hiatus

2011-02-11T16:23:00.000-08:00

My pathetic owner has developed a lung coughing disease and been kidnapped by their family. As such, they are not around to take pictures of me. Or stroke me. Or worship me. Or feed me.

6th Feb, The Rare Box Hermit Cat

2011-02-07T02:34:00.000-08:00

Like hermit crabs, the rare Box Cat moves into abandoned cardboard boxes, only to leave them and move on to a larger box when they grow.

5th Feb, Clean Cat Is Clean

2011-02-05T15:10:00.000-08:00

A clean cat washes for at least 80% of the day in which she is not sleeping.

3rd Feb, My Eyes Are Up Here!

2011-02-02T23:56:00.000-08:00

Mwahaha. Foolish owner puts glasses down and loses them forever.

3rd Feb, Box Time

2011-02-02T17:34:00.000-08:00

I am waiting for my owner to HURRY UP AND FEED ME.

1st Feb, Tins Are Evil

2011-02-01T00:09:00.000-08:00

This bag is full of tins. FULL OF THEM. Tins, full of food, that I cannot get at. This is blasphemy.

31st Jan, Cat At The Window

2011-02-01T00:07:00.000-08:00

LET ME IN.

30th Jan, Somewhere A Chicken Is Limping

2011-01-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

My owner has no idea where I got this. Roast chicken is omnonomnmomommonomonom.

29th Jan, Clingy Cat is Clingy

2011-01-29T03:08:00.000-08:00

My person kept leaving me today. I had to sit on them whenever they returned to stop them moving. Also, the new bird is very noisy and will die soon. As soon as I get the cage open.

28th Jan I HAS A COUCH

2011-01-28T02:52:00.000-08:00

Today was wet and it rained on my and my cruel owner was gone all day. When they finally returned and fed me, I took advantage of their momentary weakness when they fell onto the couch, to fling myself on top of them and give them a claw massage. After they escaped from my purring grasp, I claimed the Couch and hid here, lest the rain get in.

27th Jan, Saying Hello

2011-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

YES, A PERSON! I SHALL NOW GO HEADBUTT THEM IN THE CAMERA UNTIL THEY RUN AWAY!

26th Jan, Sunlight Worship

2011-01-26T02:42:00.000-08:00

Today there was sun. This was good, and made me wriggle around on my owner's feet a lot.

25th Jan, The Driveway Is Mine

2011-01-25T01:50:00.000-08:00

Today was a simply day. I was fed, my owner followed me around a bit while I selected today's spot to lie down in, then cruelly abandoned me.

I smelled Other Cat on them, when they returned. I am now re-staking my claim by staying on their desk, in their mousing space.

24th Jan, Exploring New Frontiers

2011-01-24T01:21:00.000-08:00

Furniture is being moved. I must inspect that it is properly stacked.

23rd Jan, If I Hide, the Rain Won't Find Me

2011-01-22T22:29:00.000-08:00

My night was warm and full of people, who moved their machines onto my table to keep me warm, and be nearby to give me strokings.

Sadly they are gone now, and I am hiding here, waiting for the rain to stop looking for me.

22nd Jan, In Which I Am Exiled From My Dais

2011-01-21T21:56:00.000-08:00

My table has been taken over by many bits of technology, so I am staying on the carpet for now. And plotting vengeance (currently favouring lying over the vents and getting fur into everything, but I could just pull the 'flop, roll, push, CRASH' manoeuvre).

Today was entertaining. My person's alarm went off shortly after daylight arrived, and I had been starving for hours, so I crashed through the bedroom door calling excitedly. When there was no response to my greeting, I found a pile of books to sit on and began a constant demand for food. The human cracked quickly, I have trained them well.

It rained more today, nasty and wet, so I stayed inside. Later that day I was being paid court to by three people, and being shown the various fish that were being raised for my dinner, and asked which I would like to start with - I am currently leaning towards the large round blue one. My owner then went to the door, pointed at me, and said "Moss, Stay!", so I immediately jumped down and ran over.

21st Jan, In Which Sufficient Court Is Not Paid

2011-01-21T01:31:00.000-08:00

My cruel and heartless owner refused to move their warmth making screen that they spend so much time staring at onto my table. No matter how long or how piteously I meowed for them to come, from only two rooms away, they did not more than twice. Pfah!

And then when they finally appeared, I had to come running into the kitchen to recieve my worship. It is lucky I am feeling so lively today - why, I literally bounced into the kitchen early, for dinner!

20th Jan, Cat's Eyes Glow In The Dark

2011-01-20T02:19:00.000-08:00

My person abandoned me for nearly two days, comes home late and then sneaks out to flash lights at me, while I lie comfortably in the gutter!

I was going to incinerate them with my eyes, but I was gracious and merciful - this time.

18th Jan, Sparrows Make Good Gifts

2011-01-17T12:47:00.000-08:00

An early morning post today - my owner was awake early, and I took the opportunity to bring them a gift - this quivery little sparrow.

It's still all nasty and rainy, but my fur is very thick, so I don't really notice it. And it was worth getting wet to catch a bird! I had to call for ages before my owner let me in though - even though I was using my special 'my mouth is full, come see what I brought you' yowls!

I dropped it my owner's feet when the door opened - stupid thing tried to hide against the door. I consider it a mark of my skill that I never kill - or even seriously maim - the birds and mice I bring my owner to catch. Perhaps one day they'll actually learn how to chase them properly...

I did wander back to have a look again, but I got yelled at, so I left the silly birdbrained thing alone and went to dry off on the laptop. When I went back to have another look, it was gone.

17th Jan, Hard At Work

2011-01-16T19:14:00.000-08:00

Today it is raining hard, so I came inside and helped prop up the laptop while my owner works. It's one of my favourite spots at the moment - it generates all this lovely heat. I was having a nice wash but quickly lay down when I saw the camera.

16th January: Summer

2011-01-15T18:09:00.000-08:00

I didn't used to like going out the front of the strange new flat, because of all the noisy cars going past, but now I have claimed the whole area as my territory - at least in summer. In winter, I go back inside.

I enjoy lying in the sun but occasionally I flop under a car for the shade.

15th Jan, Sleeping in Jigsaws

2011-01-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

I love sleeping in puzzle boxes. There's something really therapeutic about breaking down the sides of a really good cardboard box. The pieces feel nice, too, like a massage.

Now if only my owner would stop trying to take them away...

14th Jan, The Joy of Boxes

2011-01-13T18:33:00.000-08:00

For a few days, my favourite place to sleep was on the long boxes for the shiny tubes of light, that the fish-loving flatmate bought for a new fish tank.

I am looking forward to tasting all the tasty fish.